PROGRAM: Day 1/Thursday, May 21st | Day 2/Friday, May 22nd
PROGRAM Day 1: Thursday, May 21
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration (In-person)
Registration (In-person)
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Andrew Nielson, Director, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program, General Services Administration
Dr. Sachin Dev Pavithran, Executive Director, Office of Executive Director, United States Access Board
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM
Keynote
Keynote
Keynote Address
Presenter:
Dr. Rachael Montgomery, Digital Accessibility Architect, Library of Congress
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
General Session
General Session
Advancing Accessibility and Engagement on Social Media
This session will explore the accessibility challenges and solutions for commonly used social media platforms within the federal government, including X, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Attendees will learn how to evaluate and ensure compliance with the Section 508 Standards using elements such as alt text, accessible color contrast, and plain language. Additionally, the presenter will discuss techniques for boosting engagement on social media, particularly for federal communicators who are new to their roles.
Presenter:
David O'Keefe, Events and Communication Specialist, United States Access Board
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Break
Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
General Session
General Session
Scoring and Evaluating Accessibility Conformance Reports based on the VPAT
During this presentation, individuals will learn about VPATS, ACRs, and approaches to evaluating and assessing risk of ICT using ACRs in the procurement process.
Presenter:
Ameenah Ghoston, Section 508 Program Manager, Defense Health Agency
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
General Session
General Session
Tracking and Managing Section 508 Informal Complaints
During this presentation, individuals will learn the importance of tracking digital accessibility issues and complaints, and an approach for leveraging critical processes.
Presenter:
Ameenah Ghoston, Section 508 Program Manager, Defense Health Agency
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
General Session
General Session
The NPS.gov Media Player and Media Workflow: An Accessible Option for All Government
Presenters:
Siddhartha 'Sid' Sharma, Section 508 Program Manager, Department of the Interior
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Break
Break
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
General Session
General Session
Change Management
Presenters:
Antonio Haileselassie, Section 508 Program Manager, National Institutes of Health
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
General Session
General Session
Beyond the Checklist: Revolutionizing PDF Accessibility with Generative AI
Accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought, but manual remediation is a notorious bottleneck. In this session, we’ll go behind the scenes of a new AI-powered tool designed to automatically detect and fix Section 508 compliance issues in PDF documents. We will explore how we moved from a traditional deterministic approach to leveraging AWS Bedrock to handle complex ICT baselines like reading order, sensory characteristics, and data tables. Discover the "Why" behind this initiative, how we secured leadership buy-in, and how we integrated these capabilities directly into the FTAi portal to ensure digital equity at scale.
Presenter:
Florence Iglesias, Deputy Section 508 Program Manager, Federal Transit Administration
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Closing Remarks - Day 1
Closing Remarks - Day 1
Andrew Nielson, Director, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program, General Services Administration
PROGRAM Day 2: Friday, May 22
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Registration (In-person)
Registration (In-person)
9:30 AM – 9:35 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Andrew Nielson, Director, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program, General Services Administration
9:35 AM – 10:00 AM
Keys to Successful Executive Engagement
Andrew Nielson interviews GSA Deputy Associate Administrator Dan Pomeroy on best practices for engaging with senior and executive leadership to secure buy in for Section 508 initiatives.
Andrew Nielson, Director, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program, General Services Administration
Dan Pomeroy, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Technology Policy, General Services Administration
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
General Session
General Session
Navigating Section 508 Exceptions: Best Practices
The Federal Acquisition Lifecycle can be daunting. This session provides practical guidance to ensure digital accessibility throughout the acquisition lifecycle is achieved, maintained, and documented. This presentation includes sharing best practices on navigating and documenting the applicability of Section 508/digital accessibility standards, including determining Section 508 exceptions.
Betsy Sirk, Director, Digital Accessibility and Strategic Sourcing, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Owen Chong, ICT Accessibility Specialist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Break
Break
11:15 AM – 11:55 AM
General Session
General Session
Making a Section 508 Informational Video
Presenter:
Kimberly Castillo, Section 508 Program Manager, Federal Transit Administration
11:55 AM – 12:00 PM
IAAF Closing Remarks
IAAF Closing Remarks
Andrew Nielson, Director, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program, General Services Administration
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
12:45 PM – 1:00 PM
Closed Session Registration
Participation is limited to Registered Federal Section 508 Program Managers Only
Closed Session Registration
Participation is limited to Registered Federal Section 508 Program Managers Only
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Closed Session
(In-person Only)
Closed Session
(In-person Only)
Connections That Move Accessibility Forward: Guided Networking for 508 Program Managers
Creating accessible digital experiences requires more than policies and tools: it requires people, partnerships, and followthrough. This highly interactive networking session is designed specifically for Section 508 Program Managers to make meaningful connections, exchange resources, and leave with clear next steps.
Facilitated by Amy Nieves of the U.S. Access Board, participants will take part in three guided networking activities focused on sharing successes, expanding nongovernment partnerships, and scheduling real followup conversations. Whether you are new to your role or a longtime program manager, this session is designed to help you strengthen your network and turn conversations into action.
Come prepared to participate, connect, and leave with new contacts and meetings on your calendar. Participants are highly encouraged to bring at least 5-10 business cards, or copies of agency resources, or "swag" items from their agency such as pens, or other promotional items if available.
Facilitator:
Amy Nieves, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Access Board
Reviewed/Updated: April 2026
